13 Jan 2004

The Domo Arigato video by The Durutti Column (originally released as Fact 144) is now available on VHS video from those nice people at Screen Edge, who have acquired the Ikon catalogue.

Andrew James takes up the story: "Until recently, they had been missing covers for said item, but thanks to the generosity of John "Cerysmatic" Cooper [that's me, Ed.], who kindly loaned his original cover to Screen Edge for scanning, the video is once again available for the very reasonable price of 12.99 GBP for VHS (plus postage).

Not quite an Ikon original, but the next best thing for idiots like me who passed it up first time around, and no silly EBay prices. See www.outlaw23.com for more info and addresses etc."

"Manchester, 1978. In the beginning there were four: Jez Kerr (bass), Martin Moscrop (guitar/trumpet), Peter Terrel (guitar/effects) and Simon Topping (vocals/trumpet). Four thin boys with a name borrowed from a Brian Eno record, the intense, drummerless quartet initially drew influence from Wire, Eno, the Velvets and Kraftwerk, and gained a manager in Anthony Wilson of Factory Records.

"May 1979 saw the release of their first ACR single, the dark All Night Party, although the sound and musicianship of the band would be transformed by the arrival of funky drummer Donald Johnson (DoJo) in August. Over the next few months the band gigged widely, often with Joy Division as part of Factory packages, and recorded demos with producer Martin Hannett as well as a Peel session. Their support slot with Talking Heads on their UK tour in December 1979 set David Byrne on a new course, and provided the compelling live half of their chic cassette package The Graveyard and the Ballroom. Post-punk, ACR now reflected the influence of Funkadelic, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, The Bar Kays and James Brown."